Shifting-keyboard type-writer.



'PATBNTED JAIL-'13, 19.03.

A. c. FERGUSON. SHIFTING KEYBOARD TYPE WRITER.

APPLIOA TION'IILED FEB. 15, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1;

K0 MODEL.

INVENTOR' flij/mr 15/ WITNESSES.-

N0.,7l8,333. I PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903..

-A. G. FERGUSON.

SHIPTING KEYBOARD TYPE WRITER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

NOMODEL.

dIZYZJMIBIyJMJ/L I v i AIM gay UNrrEo STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR O. FERGUSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SHIFTING-KEYBOARD TYPE-WRITER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,333, dated January 13, 1903.

Application filed February 15, 1902. Serial No. 94,314. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR O. FERGUSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shifting-Keyboard Type- Writers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a shifting-keyboard type-writer, and particularly to a construction in which the key-levers and type: bars are shiftably mounted at one side of a carriage, so that the written matter upon the platen of the carriage maybe visible.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved construction of the key-lever and type-bar whereby the outer end of the bar is lifted and the type depressed into contact with the paper at the printing-point.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an improved construction of the type-bar holder whereby when the bars are depressed they are locked imalinement and positively held at the proper point.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for shifting the carriage carrying the key-levers, type-bars, and ribbon mechanism, together with means for properly operating the ribbon mechanism and the carriage-escapement by the depression of any of the keys. I

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth, and the novel features of construction defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the invention; Fig. 2, a central vertical section; Fig. 3, a vertical section on the line 3 3'of Fig. 1 with parts omitted. Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of the mounting for one of the type-bars. Fig. dis a vertical section of one end of the carriage on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 7 is a detail plan of the escapement mechanism. w

The letterA designates the base of the typewriter frame, which may be of any desired construction or configuration and upon which a reciprocating carriage B is mounted. At the rear of the base A a track A is provided, upon which the carriage O, carrying the paperplaten O, is slidably mounted and actuated in its movement from right to left by means of the tension on winding-drum C connected to the carriage by the flexible connector 0 This carriage may be of any preferred or ordinary construction, and the platen O is adapted to be turned by hand through the handle 0 or intermittently fed by the pawl 0 adapted to operate upon the ratchet 0 located adjacent to an alarm-bell O at one end of the carriage, and a paper-guide O is provided at the rear.

The carriage B may be mounted and shifted in any desired manner upon the base A. For instance, bearing-balls B may be used between the parts and the shifting accomplished by means of a key D, mounted upon a lug D, rising from thebase A. The lower end D of this key is adapted to engage a pin D carried upon the carriage B, so that when the key is depressed the carriage is forced to the rear and the spring D placed under tension, which when recoiling retracts the carriage supporting the key-bars to its initialposition. The base A is also provided with pins D which limit the movement of the carriage B in opposite directions.

Extending across the carriage B a plate B is provided and supported by standards B through which plate the shanks of the keys B pass, and are pivotally connected at their lower ends 13 with the key-levers B, which in turn are pivotally mounted between their ends upon a cross-bar B also supported from the standards B The inner ends of these key-levers are connected by means of ligaments B to the ends of the type-bars E,which bars are pivotally mounted at lugs E upon a segmental type-bar carrier E. This support E is mounted upon a standard 13*, carried by the carriage .B and disposed at one side of'the carriage C, so as to be shifted toward and from the same in a reciprocating path in order to bring the proper character upon the type E at the printing-point over the platen. The type-bars E are retracted to their raised position, as shown inFig. 2, by means of the springs 13 connected to the key-levers and to the frame of the carriage B beneath the same. The shifted or depressed position of the type-bar, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, will show that the pivot connection at 13 between the shank B and the key-lever B permits the key to travel in a straight path through the plate The several key-levers are held against lateral movement by means of a slotted plate 13, carried by the standard B", through the slots of which the several key-levers pass.

The type-bar support E may be formed of any desired configuration, preferably segmental, as herein shown, and is provided upon its upper face with a series of recesses E", into which the type-bars E pass as they descend toward the printing position and by which they are held in proper alinement. This support is provided upon its outer peripherywith projectinglugsE,havinggrooves adapted to receive a pivoting wire or band E, which passes through each of the type-bars at the pivotal point and is secured at its 0pposite ends in any desired manner-for instance, by means of the screws E (See Fig. 1.) At one side of the type-bar a segmental stop E is provided to limit the upward movement thereof. It will be seen that the depression of a key imparts an upward vertical movement to the pivotally-connected ligament B which raises the lower end of the type-bar E and depresses the type into contactwith the platen, thus securing a direct and positive action of each of the bars locked in proper alinement.

Supported from the standard B and extending from the platen O is a ribbon-carrier F, provided at one end with a pivotallymounted spool F and at the opposite end with a similar spool F havingupon its shaft a feed-ratchet F adapted to cooperate with a spring-pressed pawl F carried by the upper angular end of a pivotal feed-lever F which is mounted upon the carriage B by means of a pivot F and provided at its front end with an arm F adapted to lie beneath a universal bail F which is pivotally connected at its opposite ends, bymeans of links F to the carriage B. A retracting-spring F extends from the lever F to the base and permits the necessary reciprocation of the carriage B through its pivotal connection. The ribbon-carrier is provided wit-h a guard F having an opening therein above the platen, at which point the type contact with the ribbon.

Beneath the universal bail F a space-bar G is disposed and provided at its outer end G with a key. At its inner end it is pivoted to the base, as shown at G so that the escapement mechanism G, carrying the usual construction of dogs, is adapted to be oscillated in a vertical plane to cooperate with a rack-bar C carried by the carriage C and effect a spacing independent of the key-levers B, which are disposed above the universal bail, as shown in Fig. 2, so that when these levers are depressed they carry downward the universal bail into contact with the space-lever G and operate the dog mechanism G3 and at the same time depress the end 13 of the ribbon-feed, which in its returning movement engages the ratchet F and feeds the ribbon after the type has left the same. The dog mechanism proper is mounted in a casing G which is pi votally supported upon a plate G carried by the pivot G by means of a vertical pivot G6, so that a lateral movement of the space-bar and key will throw the feed-dogs G out of engagement with the rack G and thus leave the carriage free for movement independent of the escapement mechanism. The casing G is restored to its normal position by means of a spring G connected to a relatively fixed part while the plate G is under tension of a spring G in its vertical oscillation. It will be seen that the escapement mechanism has a vertical oscillation with the plate G and a horizontal oscillation upon this plate for throwing the escapement mechanism out of engagement.

From the foregoing description the details of operation of the several parts will be apparent, and when the carriage B, supporting the type-bars and key-levers, is in the position shown in Fig. 2 the small type are in printing alinement when the key-lever and type-bar are depressed. When it is desired to use the capital character, the carriage B is shifted to the rear through the lever D and the type-bars move to a proper position. It will also be seen that a depression of the key operates the type-bar, the escapement mechanism, and the ribbon-feed, while the escapement mechanism is capable of independent operation through the medium of the key G, which extends beneath the horizontal bail. This invention produces a very simple, eificient, and economically-constructed machine in which all of the advantages of visible writing and positively locking of the type-bars are secured, together with a direct action of the several parts by which the most efficient results are attained.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the details of construction and configuration of the several parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a type-writer, a base, a type-barsupport, a type-bar pivoted thereon, a paper-carriage provided with a feed-rack, a key-lever, a connecting-ligament extending from said lever to the type-bar, an escapement mechanism mounted upon said base to oscillate in vertical and horizontal planes relative to said rack, an operating-lever therefor extended to said key-lever, and a universal bail disposed between the key-lever and escapemen t-lever; substantially as specified.

2. In a type-writer, a type-bar support having grooves therein, type-bars provided at the outer end of said grooves, a paper-carriage, key-levers, a connecting-ligament extending from said levers to the type-bars, a

ITO

pivot for said key-levers between their ends, an escapement mechanism having operating means extending beneath the key-levers and actuated by the downward movement of said levers, and a universal bail disposed between said levers and escapement-operating means; substantially as specified.

3. In a type-writer, a type-bar support having grooves therein, type-bars provided at the outer end of said grooves, a paper-carriage, key-levers, a connecting-ligament extending from said levers to the type-bars, a pivot for said key-levers between their ends, an escapement mechanism having an operating-lever actuated by the downward movement of said key-levers, a universal hail located beneath said key-levers and above said escapement-lever, and a ribbon-feed lever having its free end beneath said universal bail; substantially as specified.

4. In a type-writer, a paper-carriage, a segmental type-bar support in a plane above said carriage at one side thereof, type-bars pi voted upon said support, key-levers mounted upon a shifting carriage carrying said type-bar support, pivoted ligaments between said levers and type-bars, a pivoted escapement for said paper-carriage adapted to oscillate in vertical and horizontal planes, and an operating-lever for said escapement extended to the key-lever carriage and movable laterally thereof; substantially as specified.

5. In a type-writer, a paper-carriage, a segmental type-bar support at one side thereof provided with a series of radially-disposed grooves, projecting lugs upon the periphery of said support, type-bars pivoted between said lugs, key-levers mounted upon a shifting carriage, pivoted ligaments between said levers and type-bars, an escapement mechanism pivoted upon a base to cooperate with said paper-carriage independent of the keylever carriage, a ribbon-feed mechanism carried by said type-bar support, and an operating-lever therefor pivotally mounted upon the key-levercarriage; substantially as specified.

6. In a type-writer, a base, a paper-carriage, a segmental type-barsupportin a plane above said paper-carriage provided with a series of radially-disposed grooves, projecting lugs between said grooves, type-bars pivoted between said lugs, a pivot for said type-bars extending continuouslyacross the outer face of said lugs, a segmental stop carried by said support above the same, key-levers pivoted between their ends, a keyboard-carriage carrying said support and key-levers and movable at an angle to the paper-carriage, and ligaments pivotally connected to the inner end of said key-levers and to the ends of the typebars beyond said support; substantially as specified.

7. In atype-writer, a base, a paper-carriage movably mounted at one end thereof and provided with a pivoted platen, a keyboard-carriage at the opposite end of said base movable at an angle to said paper-carriage, and a type-support carried by said keyboard-carriage in a plane in front of the axis of the platen upon the paper-carriage; substanstantially a right angleto said paper-carriage,

a type-support carried by said keyboard-carriage in a plane above the paper-carriage, a ribbon mechanism carried by said type-support, and an escapement mechanisn mounted upon said base to codperate With the papercarriage; substantially as specified.

9. In a type-writer, abase, a paper-carriage movably mounted at the rear thereof, a keyboard-carriage at the front of said base movable at substantially a right angle to said paper-carriage, a type-support carried by said keyboard-carriage, a ribbon mechanism carried by said type support, an escapement mechanism mounted upon said base to 006perate with the paper-carriage, a lever extending from the escapement, a universal bail carried by the keyboard-carriage and disposed above the lever from said escapement, and a ribbon-feed lever disposed beneath said universal bail and carried by the keyboard-carriage; substantially as specified.

10. In a type-writer, a base, a paper-carriage movably mounted at the rear thereof, a keyboard-carriage at the front of said base movable at substantially a right angle to said paper-carriage, a type-support carried by said keyboard-carriage, a ribbon mechanism carried by said typesupport, an escapement mechanism mounted upon said base to cooperate with the paper-carriage, a universal bail carried by the key board-carriage and disposed above the lever from said escapement, a ribbon-feed lever disposed beneath said universal bail and carried by the keyboardcarriage, a roller-bearing between said keyboard-carriage and base, a spring to retract said carriage, and stops to limit the movement thereof; substantially as specified.

11. In a type-writer. a base, a paper-carriage movably mounted at the rear thereof, a keyboard-carriage at the front of said base movable at substantially a right angle to said paper-carriage, a type-support carried by said keyboard-carriage, a ribbon mechanism carried by said type-support, an escapement mechanism mounted upon said base to cobperate with the paper-carriage, a universal bail carried by the keyboard-carriage and disposed above the lever from said escapement, a ribbon-feed lever disposed beneath said universal bail and carried by the keyboardcarriage, a roller-bearing between said keyboard-carriage and base, a spring to retract said carriage and stops to limit the movement thereof, and a key mounted upon a support from said base and adapted to engage the keyboard-carriage to shift the same against the tension of the spring; substantially as specified.

12. In a type-writer, a base, a paper-carriage movably mounted at the rear thereof, a keyboard-carriage at the front of said base movable at substantially a right angle to said paper-carriage, a type-support carried by said keyboard-carriage, a ribbon mechanism carried by said type-support, an escapement mechanism mounted upon said base to 006perate with the paper-carriage, a universal bail carried by the keyboard-carriage and disposed above the lever from said escapement, a ribbon-feed lever disposed beneath said universal bail and carried by the keyboardcarriage, a roller-bearing between said keyboard-carriage and base, a spring to retract said carriage, stops to limit the movement thereof, a key mounted upon a support from i said base and adapted to engage the keyboard-carriage to shift the same against the tension of the spring, and means for permitting an oscillation of the escapement mechanism longitudinally of the rack upon the carriage; substantially as specified.

13. In a type-writer, a base, a paper-carriage movably mounted at the rear thereof and having a rack thereon, a keyboard-carriage at the front of said base movable at substantially a right angle to said papercarriage, a type-support carried by said keyboard-carriage, a ribbon mechanism carried by said type-support, an escapement mechanism mounted upon said base to cooperate with the paper-carriage, and means for oscillating said escapement mechanism out of contact with the rack upon said carriage; substantially as specified.

14:. In a type-writer, the combination with a paper carriage and feeding escapement therefor, of a type-barsupport mounted upon a carriage movable transversely to the papercarriage and in a plane above said paper-carriage, type-bars mounted on said support, key-levers pivoted between their ends on said movable carriage, and a ligament extending from the inner end of said levers to the lower ends of said type-bars; substantially as specified.

15. In a type-writer, the combination with a paper-carriage and feeding escapement therefor, of a type-bar support mounted upon a carriage movable transversely to the papercarriage and in a plane above said paper-carriage, type-bars mounted on said support, key-levers pivoted between their ends on said movable carriage, a ligament extending from the inner end of said levers to the lower ends of said type-bars, a universal bail pivotally mounted upon said lszeyboard-carriage and extending beneath all of the key-levers; substantially as specified.

16. In a type-writer, the combination with a papercarriage and feedingescapement therefor, of a type-bar support mounted upon a carriage movable transversely to the papercarriage, type-bars mounted on said support, key-levers pivoted between their ends on said movable carriage, a ligament extending from the inner end of said levers to the lower ends of said type-bars, a universal bail pivotally mounted upon said keyboard-carriage and extending beneath all of the key-levers, an escapement key-lever extending to said keyboard and disposed beneath the universal bail, and a ribbon-feed lever having one end disposed beneath said bail; substantially as specified.

17. In a type-writer, the combination with a paper carriage and feedingescapement therefor, of a type-bar support mounted upon a carriage movable transversely to the papercarriage, type-bars mounted on said support, key-levers pivoted between their ends on said movable carriage, a ligament extending from the inner ends of said levers-to the lower ends of said type-bars, a universal bail pivotally mounted upon said keyboard-carriage and extending beneath all of the key-levers, an escapement key-lever extending to said keyboard and disposed beneath the universal bail, a ribbon-feed lever having one end disposed beneath said bail; springs to restore all of said levers to their initial position, and a slotted guide-plate adapted to receive each of the key-levers; substantially as specified.

18. In a type-writer the combination with a papercarriage and feeding-escapement therefor, of a type-bar support mpunted upon a carriage movable transversely to the papercarriage, type-bars mounted on said support, key-levers pivoted between their ends on said movable carriage, a ligament extending from the inner ends of said levers to the lower ends of said type-bars, a universal bail pivotally mounted upon said keyboard-carriage and extending beneath all of the key-levers, an escapement key-lever extending to said keyboard and disposed beneath the universal bail, springs to restore all of said levers to their initial position, a slotted guide-plate adapted to receive each of the key-levers, a keyboard supported from the key-lever carriage, and keys mounted to reciprocate in said board and pivoted at their lower ends to said levers; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR O. FERGUSON. Witnesses:

ALFRED T. GAGE, GEORGE M. BOND. 

